Better services for New Zealanders... ...by targeting spending to those most in need

3. Delivering better public services

Last year, the Prime Minister set 10 challenging results for the public sector to achieve over the next three to five years:

Reducing long-term welfare dependence

1. Reduce the number of people who have been on a working age benefit for more than 12 months

Supporting vulnerable children

2. Increase participation in early childhood education
3. Increase infant immunisation rates and reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever
4. Reduce the number of assaults on children

Boosting skills and employment

5. Increase the proportion of 18-year-olds with NCEA level 2 or equivalent qualification
6. Increase the proportion of 25 to 34-year-olds with advanced trade qualifications, diplomas and degrees (at level 4 or above)

Reducing crime

7. Reduce the rates of total crime, violent crime and youth crime
8. Reduce reoffending

Improving interaction with government

9. New Zealand businesses have a one-stop online shop for all government advice and support they need to run and grow their business
10. New Zealanders can complete their transactions with the Government easily in a digital environment

We're making good progress in reducing crime...

Total recorded crime rate

...and have targeted new spending towards other challenging issues, such as reducing long-term welfare dependence

Number of people on job-seeker benefits for more than 12 months

Budget 2013 focuses on programmes that will achieve results and improve the lives of New Zealanders and their families.

Supporting those most in need

• $100 million over three years for the Healthy Homes insulation programme targeted at low-income households with children or high health needs.
• Over $21 million over four years for rheumatic fever prevention.
• $1.5 million in 2013/14 for additional budgeting services for low-income families.

$1.6 billion over four years to improve frontline health services

• $1 billion to meet demographic growth and cost pressures.
• $70 million for aged care dementia services.
• $48 million for elective surgery.

Improving skills so people can fulfil their potential

• $173 million over four years for early childhood education.
• $215 million over four years for schools.
• $130 million over four years for tertiary education, including extra funding for Maori and Pasifika trades training, to boost science and engineering courses and increasing the proportion of young people with higher-level qualifications.

Improving delivery of social housing

• Funding to extend reviewable tenancies so people can regain independence, and so houses are available for families with the highest needs.
• $27 million over four years to extend the income-related rent subsidy to community housing providers.
• Shifting housing needs assessments from Housing New Zealand to the Ministry of Social Development.

Helping jobseekers into paid employment

• $189 million over four years to support the next phase of the Government's welfare reforms, including new funding to help more people into work.